By President Rich Gurgel NWC ’81, WLS ’86
Adapted from an MLC morning chapel devotion, November 19, 2025
This world is a dangerous place for believers. Not only do we have to deal with our own and others’ sins, but our true enemies can’t even be seen. They’re the powerful forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Led by Satan, they want to destroy every shred of true faith, hope, and genuine love.
So why would God leave us here as soldiers behind enemy lines? It’s simple. He’s not yet gathered all the elect, those he’s known by name from eternity. And we are the ones he’s sending on this divine rescue mission. We are his army.
For this task — this privilege! — Paul urges us to “Put on the full armor of God.” As a Roman prisoner, Paul may have had a fully armed and armored Roman soldier guarding him at the very moment he wrote. So he painted for us the armor of God, piece by piece: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation — all these elements to protect us from the evil one.
And God gave us an offensive weapon as well: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. No, this is not permission to take up earthly weapons and try to seize the power of government.
No, our enemy is not of this world! When we use the sword of the Spirit — the Word! — we are not trying to destroy other human beings. We’re trying to win them — to win them to the same repentance and faith we’ve been given.
That’s why we’re here in this chapel and on this campus. God is equipping you, MLC students, with the Spirit’s sword day after day to arm you as soldiers of the cross — knights in God’s army.
One day God may very well call you to be leaders in his army: pastors, staff ministers, teachers. Then you’ll truly be “Knighted for Ministry”! Amen.
